Les Bowen

STAFF WRITER

Les Bowen has covered the Eagles since 2002. Before that, he covered the Flyers for 13 years. He came to the Daily News from the Charlotte Observer in May 1983, just as the Sixers were winning the NBA championship. He thought, "Gosh, this sort of thing must happen all the time here."

Finally, amidst all the smoke and mirrors, an actual source close to the situation has spoken.

Your Eagletarian just talked to Donovan McNabb's agent, Fletcher Smith, who said he has no reason to believe a trade is imminent, and says there have been no conversations with the Eagles about which teams the quarterback would or would not prefer to be traded to.

"If we get to that bridge, we'll have to cross it," said Smith, who said his client is holding up well under the torrent of speculation.

Smith noted that McNabb has been at the center of the whirlwind before. "There's always something, every offseason."

Contrary to a Friday ESPN report, Smith said he did not believe McNabb had spoken recently with Eagles coach Andy Reid. Smith said that right now, there isn't that much for them to talk about.

The report said McNabb told Reid he wanted to stay in Philadelphia, not be traded to Oakland or Buffalo. A McNabb spokesman said this afternoon that McNabb and Reid text one another frequently. The spokesman said McNabb, indeed, wants to stay with the Eagles, but that McNabb and Reid have not texted or spoken on that subject.

Smith also questioned whether Reid's comments this week, acknowledging that the Birds are listening to offers for all three of their quarterbacks, is the definite signal of a McNabb trade that everyone seems to have turned it into.

Smith said that "given the sensitivity of the situation" he hopes the Eagles talk to McNabb about his preferences before they trade him, if they trade him. "Donovan has been there a long time. I would think they would want to do right by him, reach out, tell him what their intentions are."

If the Eagles don't end up trading McNabb, after what is surely going to be a long spring of endless rumors, can No. 5 take the helm and lead the team as if nothing had ever happened?

"It can't be any more difficult than T.O.," Smith said.

True, that.

There is good reason to think Smith might be right about nothing happening right away. A team source confirmed that Eagles president Joe Banner remained in Florida for a little vacation time following this week's league meetings, and that Reid is doing the same in Utah. Of course, this isn't 1950, the principals don't have to be huddled around one phone in a conference room, but the most important trade of the Reid Era probably isn't going to be made while Andy's wading in a trout stream, or something.

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